Why Not
by Just 2 Dream of You
Summary: Sequel to my one-shot Why: An old enemy of Hiei's kidnaps Botan when she goes out to look for him. Now she's tied up in a horrible plot to hurt him and some secrets are revealed that perhaps were best kept hidden. HxB
1. Burn

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

* * *

Why Not

Chapter One: Burn

X -x-x-x-x- X

"What?!" Koenma screamed, papers flying everywhere. "What do you mean she's not here?!"

"I mean she's not here...Sir..." George whimpered covering his head just in case Koenma decided to throw something.

"That's impossible! Botan's NEVER late! Where is that girl?!"

Botan groggily woke up to birds chirping and sun in her eyes. Normally this would be a happy occasion and Botan would spring out of bed... But not this morning. His words still rang in her ears.

"_Don't ever come back."_ And just like that, he was gone. She rose up in her bed and let her feet play with the wooden floor. She could hear someone in the kitchen and could smell something cooking. She was still in her jeans and T-shirt from last night. She stood up and walked out like a zombie.

First. she hadn't had more than three hours of sleep, and second, she was depressed.

"Oh, good morning, Botan." Her usually cheerful angelic voice was tired and soft.

"Hi, Yukina." The two just stared at each other. And Yukina burst into tears.

"Yeah, I know...Keiko said something was off...Both of them?...I'd kick his ass, Kurama...Yeah, I know...Yeah..Bye." Yusuke hung up the phone and slicked back his hair. Ever since a week ago Botan and Yukina have been acting strange. Kurama and him figured it had something to do with Hiei. Yusuke knew it had to be when Kuwabara slammed into his room screaming that Yukina had told him her brother was dead. Yusuke went from confused to pissed in two seconds straight. "Damn it," he whispered. "That bastard."

Kurama was sitting at his desk when a familiar tapping came at his window.

He simply looked at the figure in black and nodded. He stepped in and Kurama sighed. It was three am in the morning. Kurama had been up due to insomnia and it appears that it was a good time for it. Hiei sat down on Kurama's bed, which was unusual for him. A few minutes went by and Kurama spoke.

"Is there anything in particular I can do for you Hiei, or are you just here to watch me read?"

"I'm leaving."

"Well...That was a nice visit."

"I'm leaving for Makai, and _this_ time I'm not coming back."

Kurama shifted in his seat. "Hiei...How many times have I heard you say that?"

"I mean it this time."

"So, I'll see you in a few months." Kurama was expecting Hiei to flare up and call him a stupid fox, but Hiei remained still.

"You...need to forget about me. You _all_ need to forget about me."

Kurama stood up and walked over to the bed. "Hiei, what's wrong?"

Hiei looked up at him and Kurama was shocked. Kurama blinked and Hiei was gone.

He could have sworn that Hiei's eyes were...red and swollen...from crying...

The wind whistled in the tree's and tickled the hairs on his neck. His scarf flailed in the wind and whipped around his head. His sword covered in the blood of innocent low class demons. 'Innocent' meaning they didn't do anything to _him_ they just existed. He scowled and jumped to the forest below the mountain. He ran through the forest making the trees blur into black. He stopped and sniffed.

Alcohol.

As he walked in he swore almost every eye was on him. He walked up to the bar and glared back at the man that was glaring at him. "Whiskey." His low voice scraped and dripped with murder. The man poured the whiskey spilling it all over the glass and slammed it on the counter.

"Can you pay?" The man asked.

"Of course I can." He sneered.

"Good." The man flashed an evil grin before turning around.

He knew what was coming from all the snickers and growling from the other customers.  
He downed the drink in one gulp letting it burn the inside of his throat down to his stomach.

"You paying now?" The bartender asked.

"Sure. How much?"

"Your life."

The rest of the bar crowded up on him. Yep. He knew it. "Hn. The prices are outrageous here."

* * *

Botan sniffed the air and walked down the street. Her communication mirror keep going off.

Damn it. She told him she needed a week off. Why won't he just leave her alone?! She sat down on a park bench and watched the children across the street get some sweet snow.

Sweet snow. Oh, God. She bit her tongue to hold back the tears. That was the fourth time this week!

Why won't it go away? Why won't it stop? When will she get to go to sleep without crying herself there? When - why? _Why?_

There was that word again. Why. She remembered saying that as she ran back to the temple. She reached in her pocket and grabbed the small gem that she had put in there a week ago.

It was black like onyx but in closer view in the sun, it also had a slight blue hue to it. And sometimes it was purple...And sometimes it was red...Come to think of it, the thing changed colors! And it was always random too. What did that mean? Was it like a mood ring or something?

But if that was the case it wouldn't be Botan's emotions showing up in it...It would be Hiei's.

She looked at the children buying the sweet snow and remembered the first time she got Hiei to try some.

_"What?"_

_"Ice cream. Don't tell me you've never had any."_

_"I've never had any. And I don't want any."_

_"Oh? Okay, then."_

_She watched as he bristled the branches and moved ever so slightly. His shadow was moving over her to get a closer look. She continued licking and moaning gently._

_She stuck out her tongue and slowly licked the melting ice cream off the cone. "So good." She teased._

_He 'hnned' and jumped out of the tree. "I don't want any." He stated._

_"I know. Mmmm..." She licked again. "So delicious. Too bad you're afraid to try new things, Hiei."_

_"That's it." He snatched the cone from her making her fall over._

_"Hey!" Before she knew it, Hiei was licking her cone. He was like a child discovering candy for the first time. In a matter of minutes, that cone was gone._

_"Did you like it?"_

_"No. I just wanted to make you shut up."_

_"Uh huh."_

_"Now go get some more."_

Suddenly Botan felt a surge of rage mixed with determination. She stood up and squeezed the gem in her fist. She _would _get him back. How she didn't know, but Kami as her witness, she _**would**_ get him back.

"Please d-don't..." The bartender begged. Tears were falling down his face mixed with snot and blood.

"Don't what?" His sword was inches away. "Don't gut you like I did them?"

It was truly an incredible sight. In mere seconds, entrails were all over the floor. Blood had splashed on the liqueur running down the walls. They were all dead.

"I-I..." The man stuttered.

"Say it." He flashed a cruel grin.

"I'm sorry..."

"Wrong."

He charged at the man sticking the sword directly into his neck blood squirting out on his face matching his own eyes. His thrust the sword up, slicing through his head as the man was still alive.

"Uh-uh - " The man choked in vile pain as his eyes rolled back before his forehead was cut in half. The limp body slumped to the floor and he caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror behind the liqueur. He had blood on his face and the white part of his hair was red.

He scowled and summoned his flame.

"Burn."

Botan looked at the gem that she was holding. It was red now. "Hm. I wonder what red means?"

~To Be Continued


	2. We have a problem

Disclamier: I don't own YYH

* * *

Why Not

Chapter Two: We have a problem

X -x-x-x-x- X

Water bottles: Check

Energy bars: Check

Medical kit: Check

Extra clothes: Check

Courage: ...?

Botan sighed. Was she really ready for this? She pretty much decided on the fly she was going to go look for him and now she had no idea how. She sat down on her couch and looked up at the ceiling. Not only did she not know how to go look for him, but what if she _did_ find him? How would he react?

He would probably curse and scowl at her and call her a 'Stupid ferry woman.' Man, she hated that name.

But then again... She sniffed. No. No tears. _"Stupid ferry woman." _She would give anything to hear that again. "_**Stupid ferry woman."**_ His voice was ringing in her ears. Ringing? The phone was ringing! She jumped up out of her stupor and ran to the phone. "Hello?" She said a little anxious.

_'_Botan?_' _She sighed. She really was a stupid ferry woman. Did she really think it would be Hiei? Like he would use a phone. Botan almost laughed out loud at her foolishness.

"Oh, hello Kurama." Wait Kurama?! Oh, God, not Kurama! If anyone could figure her out it was him!

_'_Are you alright?_'_ He asked.

Botan gulped. "Y-yes I'm fine. Just fine, Kurama! Why wouldn't I be?" She said using her fake chipper voice.

'It's just that Yusuke and I have been worried about you and Yukina.'Botan frowned.

Yukina.

That was another reason she was doing this. If she couldn't get him to come back the least she could do is beat the snot out of him for Yukina. Botan almost laughed again.

Like she could touch him.

"Oh, yes. I know. How is she?" Botan hadn't seen Yukina since the morning after.

'Kuwabara says she is still not herself.'Kurama took in a breath. 'And you?'

"Oh, well, I said I was fine, Kurama." She sounded a little irritated now.

'That's what you _said_.'

"Kurama..."

'Forget I said anything. Oh, Yusuke wants to go to the new malt shop today. Would you like to come?'

Uh oh. _Now_ what was she supposed to say? This was Kurama after all. If she said no he would want to know why. And she obviously couldn't say yes.

"Well...I'm going...back to work today." She said sheepishly. She hated lying. Especially to Kurama.

'Oh. Really? Well, then, don't let me bother you.'

"Oh, no, Kurama, not at all!"

Insert awkward silence.

"Well, goodbye!"

'Goodbye, Botan.' Click.

Botan heaved a sigh of relief. That was close.

"Well?" The raven haired boy was sitting at Kurama's dinner table.

"She's not coming."

Yusuke sighed. "I'm really worried here."

"She said she's going back to work today."

"Do you believe her?"

Kurama turned around and looked at his friend. "No."

"Didn't think so. Damn it, Kurama. We gotta do something."

* * *

The house was quiet. Too quiet. It was like nobody even lived there.

"Kurama..."

"I know Yusuke. Let's just ring the doorbell."

_Ding dong_

Yusuke put his hands in his pockets and sighed. A few minutes went by and he ran it again.

_Ding dong_

"Damn it." He grumbled.

"Maybe she was telling the truth." Kurama said as his hair flipped in the wind.

"We both know that was a load of crap, Kurama." _Ding dong_

A few more minutes...nothing.

"Dammit, Botan! Answer the friggin' door! We all know you're in there!" Yusuke pounded on the door and it flung open.

"Well, that was easy." Kurama said.

"Shut up."

The two walked in and slowly looked around. Everything was perfectly in place. The dishes were put up, the couch was neat with the pillows nicely fluffed, the bed was made, Botan wasn't there.

Wait, what? _**Botan wasn't there!**_

"Kurama! Where the hell is she?!"

"Maybe..."

"If you say she went to work one more time I'll punch you."

Kurama rolled his eyes and inspected the bedroom. He inwardly let a shiver run up his spine when her scent filled his nose. It was the strongest here. Violet with a hint of vanilla. He always loved her scent.

He walked up to the dresser and for some reason he got an inkling to open the drawer.  
When he did his heart stopped. It was empty. He looked through the whole thing and nothing. Not even her underwear.

"Yusuke..."

"What." He said flatly

"I think we have a problem."

~TBC


	3. All alone

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

* * *

Why Not

Chapter Three: All alone

X -x-x-x-x- X

"Oh!" Botan gasped. The wind was picking up and it was hard to stay on her oar. "Oh, dear..."

She decided that it would be best to land, so she spotted a lone clearing in a wooded area and flew down. When she did, the smell almost made her keel over. "Ugh, the Makai smells terrible!" She squirmed with her hands over her mouth and nose. "And the after taste!"

A fuzzy image appeared and cleared revealing a tired Koenma.

'Yes? How may I help you, Yusuke?'

"Uh, yeah. Is, uh...Botan there?" Yusuke couldn't believe he was asking the question he already knew the answer to, but he was desperate.

'No. I haven't spoken to her for a week. I've been worried and trying to call her on her mirror but she hasn't answered.'

"Yeah, we found it under her bed."

'What?'

Whoops.

"Nice going, Yusuke." The kitsune snorted.

'Wait, how would you know that unless you're in her house? Are you telling me she's not there?!'

"That's all I needed to know! Bye!"

'Yusuke, you - !'Click.

"That was close." Yusuke sighed.

"Yusuke, we may need his help."

"Oh, please, the last thing I need is toddler breath breathing down my neck! Wait...I think I just made a pun."

"Yusuke, focus."

"Right. Where do we look first?"

"Honestly, I have no idea."

The two just looked at each other for a few minutes.

"Damn it. We're screwed."

Botan made her way down the street and couldn't help but shiver at the looks she was getting.

She was wearing blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a long dark blue coat that went to her feet, much like Hiei's cloak. She had a hood on the coat but and had put it up. Still the demons were glaring at her. They must have known she wasn't one of them. Damn their good senses!

She saw a bar and blinked when she saw the 'Out of business' sign. She peered inside the window and gasped. The entire inside was covered in blood. She couldn't believe it. Instead of cleaning it, they simply slapped a sign on it and left it there.

"If you're looking for a good bar, there's one down the street."

Botan yelped and jumped back. There stood a simple apparition who blinked at her outburst.

"Oh! Uh...Thank you..."

The man shook his head and scoffed. "Definitely not from around here." He muttered as he walked away.

Botan looked down the street and sighed. The best way to find him was, quite frankly, asking questions. She decided to go to this bar and check it out. If she didn't end up murdered, she could at least ask a few questions.

She strolled up to this new bar whose title made her gulp.

"The Blood Bath."

"Ew." She opened the saloon type doors and slowly walked in. Half the people looked up and the other half could care less. She walked up to the bar narrowly avoiding a glass being thrown. As soon as she got there the bartender glared at her. Did _everyone_ here have to be so mean?

_'No wonder Hiei's a mess,_' she thought.

"What?" The bartender clipped.

"Huh?"

"What do you want?"

"Oh..uh...Beer?"

The man shrugged and plopped a bottle on the bar.

"Thanks." She said feeling sick. The bottle was old and dirty and she swore something was floating in it. She opened it and the smell was rancid. "What kind is this?" She asked gagging.

"Makai," and he walked away.

"Great." She fiddled with it a little and looked around.

There were too many people to decide who was the best candidate to talk to, if any.

"You wanna fuck with me?!" Botan grimaced at someone punching another guy.

_'I wonder what he did...'_ She thought as the first guy dragged the second guy who was bleeding outside.

As she watched this her thoughts turned to Hiei. Is this how he lived? But which one was he? The victim or the bad guy? She thought about when she first saw him. He was definitely the bad guy then. Yusuke had only won that fight through sheer luck. She remembered when she approached him after Keiko was cured and she was done healing Kurama.

He was passed out with a singe mark on his back. She carefully flipped him over and studied him. His face was gentle, not at all like the one she had been looking at for the past thirty minutes. She couldn't help but think how _young_ he looked. She also hadn't know anyone to fully control the Jagan without going mad. Such a waste. All that potential wasted on evil. She felt a pang somewhat wanting to save this creature but she brushed it aside.

It was just a demon after all.

Her thoughts were interrupted with a feeling of something behind her. "Hmm?"

"Outside."

Before she knew what was happening she was being thrown against a tree in the woods.

"What do you want?!" She yelped.

There were two of them and they were chuckling.

"She wants to know what we want." One said cruelly.

Botan gulped. She knew what they wanted. She looked around at the empty forest.  
She was all alone. No one was coming to help her. _No one._

The two looked at each other and both smiled evilly.

"I get to go first. I spotted her."

"Fine, but I get to go longer."

Botan went to run but one of them caught her hair and threw her to the ground.

"Where you going?" He said in an almost gentle tone.

"Leave me alone!" She summoned her oar and whacked him on the head.

Blood slightly spurt from the wound and he stuck out his claws.

"BITCH!" He swiped at her hitting her cheek and making her hit the tree again. The wound stung and burned as blood trickled down her face.

"Fuck you, Dern. _I'm_ going first _and_ longest."

The other one snorted and Botan could hear pants unzipping.

_'No...!'_ She cried in her head. _'What do I do?!'_

It was then that Botan remembered. She had packed it just in case of something like this.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the Concentration Ring. She slipped it on her finger and got in Spirit Gun pose.

Both of them started to chuckle. "What the hell are you doing?" The one called Durn asked.

"Oh nothing. Just something I learned from..._Yusuke Urameshi_."

Both immediately became silent.

"Oh, so you've heard of him, eh? Good." She powered up her energy and it glowed white on the edge of her finger.

"Uh, Faulk?" Durn shuddered.

Without warning she fired a huge blast sending her crashing into the tree _again. _Both of the vile demons screamed as they were flung through the air being hit with the purest white energy in all the three worlds. The blast went for miles even hitting some other creatures as well as many trees.

After it was over Botan fell to her knees panting. That was a little bit much. In fact it was pretty much all her energy. That was the one flaw with the ring. It didn't know how to hold back.

Botan tried to get up but she couldn't._ 'Well, this is no good. Now what?'_

"Need some help, miss?",

Botan gasped and looked up. There stood a young man who was no more than five foot two, with short blond hair that fell in his big round eyes, which were a startling light blue. The only thing that gave him away about being an apparition was a small horn on the top of his head near his forehead.

"Um..." Botan was of course nervous.

"You look hurt." His voice was young and his face was innocent and gentle.

"No, I'm fine. Really." She tried to get up but fell again.

"It doesn't look that way. Here, I'll help you." The young man snapped his fingers and three large apparitions came out of nowhere.

"No, please. Not again." She whimpered trying to get away.

One of them grabbed her and tried to put her over his shoulder.

"No... Let me go...!" The ring must have taken more out of her than she thought because her kicking and hitting did nothing. It felt like she was moving but in reality, she was barely putting up a fight.

The young man nodded and one of the big men took out a syringe.

"NO! Stop - please!" She cried. She felt a sharp sting in her shoulder and cried. "No..." She sobbed.

Her vision became swirly and things started to fade.

The last thing she saw was the young man's face innocently smiling before her world went dark.

~TBC


	4. Tacky

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

* * *

Why Not

Chapter Four: Tacky

X -x-x-x-x- X

"Man, I hate these stairs." Yusuke grumbled. Kurama stayed silent. As they reached the top, they were greeted with a familiar voice.

"Urameshi!" The orange haired boy ran over to his two friends. "Whad'ya guys doing here?"

"Oh, hey, Kuwabara. We're here to see Genkai. She here?"

"Yeah, she's in the back." He paused for a moment and looked down with sad eyes.

"What?"

"It's Yukina. I keep hoping she'll snap out of it, but..."

"Don't worry. She'll be okay."_ 'I'll make sure of that,'_ Yusuke thought as a mental picture of Hiei flashed in his mind.

"Yusuke?" The girl in question peered out the door. "Kurama? Oh, it' so nice to see you."

"Hey." Yusuke waved politely.

"Hello." Kurama smiled gently.

"Everything okay, Yukina? Do you need my help in the kitchen?"

"No, thank you Kazuma." She walked back in and Yusuke and Kurama exchanged glances.

"Bastard." Yusuke grumbled under his breath.

"Yusuke..."

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just go in."

As they walked in Genkai was coming out of a back room. "Oh. Hey."

"Can we talk to you alone?" Yusuke asked motioning to himself and Kurama.

"Wait, without me?" Kuwabara asked pointing to himself.

"Uh..."

"Of course Kuwabara can join." Kurama said. "If you have the time, Master Genkai."

"Sure." She sat down on the floor and Yukina came in with some tea.

"Thank you, Yukina." Genkai's tone was sweet and gentle.

"You're welcome." Yukina smiled lightly and walked to her room. _'I wish they would stop treating me like I'm going to break.'_

"So, what's the problem?"

"Botan's missing." Kurama took no time to prepare Kuwabara and the following outburst was the result.

"What?! Botan's missing?! When?! How?! Why didn't you say so?!"

"Shut it, Kuwabara!" Yusuke grabbed on his shirt and pulled him back. "Yukina." He said quietly.

"Oh." He calmed himself and look toward her room. He knew this would upset her terribly. After losing her brother and all.

"When did you find out?" Genkai asked.

"This afternoon. We went to her apartment and she wasn't there." Kurama said.

"Was she kidnapped?"

"Unlikely considering we found several items missing. We think she left on her own."

"Why?" Kuwabara asked.

"We don't know. Although I may have an idea."

Yusuke and Kuwabara leaned in.

"Hiei."

Pink eyes opened and blinked hastily. Red. Dark blue. Royal purple. These are the colors she first saw.

Once her eyes focused she saw that she was in a bedroom. A fancy one at that. She shot up, apparently in a bed, and looked around. The room was big. Huge really. A large window bigger than the bed was on the right side of the room. Curtains with royal purple designs with red accents were pulled over the window. The walls were dark red as well with dark blue and purple flowers and roses painted on them. The side tables beside the bed were dark brown with gold lamps sitting on each. The shades were dark blue. The bedding had flowers on it in a mix of the same colors but had green and gold mixed in. The floor was a royal purple carpet with gold sewn in it. One word came to mind as she looked at this room:

Tacky.

She grimaced and put her feet on the floor. Was she still in the Makai? Should she try to leave?

Before she could answer the questions the door opened revealing the young boy from before. He was wearing an outfit similar to the ones Kurama would wear at the Dark Tournament. He stepped in and walked slowly over to the bed.

"How are you doing?" Again his voice was kind and gentle.

"To what are you referring? My energy blast or your shot?" She glared at him.

The boy laughed lightly. "Kinda dark in here, huh?" He strolled over to the window and pulled on some gold tassels opening the curtains.

Botan winced at the bright sun pouring in her eyes. The room was much brighter now and she could see the full extent of the design. _Really_ tacky.

When Botan could focus again she looked at the boy. He was staring out the window apparently lost in thought.

"Who are you?"

The boy turned around and smiled. "Ikio. Ikio Fuugiya."

"And that would be?"

"A very rich lord." He stopped and Botan thought she saw sadness in his eyes. "This is my mansion."

"Well, that's nice. So...why am I here?"

"You were injured and I decided to help."

"Why?"

Ikio raised an eyebrow. "You _do_ know what would happen to a weakened woman in the Makai."

"Oh, I see. Well, thank you, but I should be leaving."

"You're still not healed. I don't know what you did, but you used all of your energy. You should stay here. Really, I have servants that will care to your every need."

"I...don't think so..." Botan tried to stand but a wave of dizziness overwhelmed her.

"_I_ don't think so." Ikio chuckled. "You can come in now."

Botan looked up and saw a figure walk through the door. It was a woman with long brown hair that was tinted red, and fiery lime green eyes. Her face was trained and brash, eyes focused and cold. Her clothes resembled a warrior and Botan couldn't help of think of Mukuro as she walked in.

"Yes, Master?" Her voice was sharp but calm and respectful.

"Please keep watch over our guest. Guard her and make sure no one disturbs her."

"Yes, sir." She glanced over at Botan and Botan shivered. Her energy was pouring off her in waves.

"Thank you, Ren."

Ren nodded and walked back out.

"Um..."

"Don't worry she's harmless." Botan held in a scoff. Yeah, right.

"What...do I do here?"

"Well, I'll tell cook to make something for you. You must be hungry."

"No really I'm - " She was cut off by her stomach growling. "Oh."

The boy laughed politely. "Okay, I'll tell him."

"Thank you." The end was kind of a question.

"No problem." Ikio nodded and walked back out.

"Well...now what?" Botan went over to the window and she couldn't believe what she saw.

It was a beautiful courtyard adorned with statues and stone carvings, bright green grass, bush sculptures, and flowers everywhere. Botan blinked. Was this really the Makai? She looked up and they sky was still a dark red. She sighed and looked around the room. She saw another door and assumed it must lead to the bathroom. She opened it and sure enough it was. It was beautiful but still pretty tacky like the room.

"Kid musta decorated it himself." She giggled. It was also huge. The tub looked like a swimming pool to her. "What a waste of money and space." She closed the door and sighed again. "Well...now what?"

She thought about the boy. Fuugiya. Why did that name sound slightly familiar to her?

Fuugiya...Fuugiya...

"What makes you think it's Hiei?" Kuwabara asked.

"Just a hunch." Kurama said looking at Yusuke.

"But...It makes no sense. Why would Botan care if Hiei disappeared?"

"Kuwabara...What I'm about to tell you will be hard for you to hear, but I believe Botan went to go find Hiei because Hiei is the one who told Yukina her brother was definitely dead. Botan cares for Yukina and is most likely angry with Hiei."

"I still don't understand. So what if Hiei's the one who told her? How can Botan blame him?"

"Because _Hiei_ is Yukina's brother."

~TBC


	5. No more innocence

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

* * *

Why Not

Chapter Five: No more innocence

X -x-x-x-x- X

"WHAT?!" Kuwabara screamed, jumping up and grabbing Yusuke's shirt, lifting him into a standing position.

"Why the hell are you attacking _me_?!"

"You knew, didn't you?! You all knew!"

"Well, Keiko didn't..."

"Shut up! Just shut up! I can't believe this! You bastard! How could you do this?!"

"Kuwabara, please..." Kurama was standing trying to calm him.

"Don't even, Kurama. I thought I could trust you guys. I was right, wasn't I? Just like with Genkai! I'm just one big joke to you all!"

"Enough! Yelling at them isn't going to change anything! And besides, I get the feeling if you had watched the original tape with Yukina's mission on it, instead of running out like a fool, you would already know this." Genkai was still sitting but her fists were clenched.

"That would be it." Grimaced Yusuke.

"Shut up. I'm not talking to you." Kuwabara put Yusuke down, more like dropped him, and frowned at Kurama.

"What's going on?" Everyone froze as Yukina's voice was heard.

"Y-Yukina..." Kuwabara stuttered.

Kurama sighed. "Yukina, you better sit down. We have something to tell you." She sat down next to Genkai and Kuwabara sat next to her.

Kurama took in a breath and Kuwabara stopped him. "Wait. I should do this."

Kurama nodded and Kuwabara took in a long breath. "Yukina...Botan is missing."

"Oh, no! What happened?" Yukina gasped with her hands over her mouth.

Kurama looked at Yusuke and Yusuke shrugged.

"We think she's gone to the Makai." Kurama said gently.

"Why?"

"We think she's looking for...someone."

"But - "

"Don't worry, my love." Kuwabara grabbed her hands in his. "We're gonna go get her _and_ the person she's looking for."

Yukina looked at all their faces and closed her eyes.

"Oh. Alright then. Good luck." She knew they were keeping something from her. Again, treating her like she was going to break. She hated that.

"Yukina?" Kuwabara asked as she stood up slightly ripping her hands from his.

"I'm really tired, Kazuma. I'm going to take a nap. Let me know when you find her." She turned around and walked back to her bedroom. When they heard a door, close they all looked at each other.

"Well...That was weird..." Yusuke started.

"Yes. So how are you going to start?" Genkai asked.

"Well, I have a way of finding her that I believe will work." Kurama reached into his pocket and pulled out the Demon Compass.

"Doesn't that only work on demons?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes, but this is the improved version."

"Oh, yeah. The one that Botan showed us?" Kuwabara asked. "But that only works if you put the DNA of the person you're looking for inside it."

"Of course. When Yusuke and I were inside her apartment, I saw her hair brush and took some of her hair from it. It's inside the watch now."

"Wow. Kurama when are you ever going to tell me anything?" Yusuke asked.

"Doesn't feel good does it, Urameshi?" Kuwabara and Yusuke exchanged glares.

"At any case, there's no guarantee it will work. Botan is not an apparition. But since she has spirit energy, I hope it will."

"What about Hiei?" Genkai asked picking up her tea.

"Oh, we're going to find Hiei. I'll make sure of that." Kuwabara's tone was what you would call dark.

"Kuwabara..."

"Shut up, Urameshi. I'm going to make him come back if it's the last thing I do. I don't care what he does to me, he _will_ come back."

They all looked at each other again and Kurama sighed. "Very well. Let's all get some things together and when we're done we'll go."

Kuwabara snorted and walked out. "I'll be back in an hour."

"It'll take you an hour to get to your house!" Yusuke shouted.

"I _said_ I'll be back in an hour." Kuwabara walked out the door and slammed the screen.

Yusuke sighed. "Man...This sucks..."

* * *

Botan was getting irritated. "Just how long does it take to make some food?" She said holding her stomach.

She didn't have time for this. She needed to be looking for Hiei. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the small gem. It had a blue hue to it now.

"Blue...sad?" She frowned. "Red is usually anger..blue is usually sad...What the hell does purple mean?" She asked nobody. "Hmm...Well, once I find him I'll be able to see for myself."

She stuck the gem back in her pocket and hopped off the bed. "That's it. I'm leaving." Before she could head for the door it opened. Botan shivered.

It was _her_.

She was holding a tray and walked up to a small table in one of the corners of the room. She slammed the tray on the table and glared at Botan "Food," she said briskly and started back out the door.

"Um...Thanks?" Ren snorted and kept walking. "Uh, when can I leave?"

"_Leave_?" She thought she heard a chuckle. "Just shut up and eat." And with that, she was gone with a slam of the door.

"Ugh." She walked over to the tray and looked at her meal. It was some sort of soup and sandwich. "What, no prime rib? What kind of rich lord is this?" She picked up the sandwich, which was cut diagonally, and sniffed it. "Cabbage? Hmm...Roast beef? That doesn't sound _too_ bad..." She picked up the spoon on the side of the tray and dipped it in the soup. She tasted the spoon and had to admit it was good. It was sweet and sour vegetable something.

Botan laughed. "Did he order this himself? These two don't go together." She brought the tray over to the bed and ate in silence.

After she was done, she sighed. She could take a bath. _Or_ she could leave.

The door opened again and in walked Ikio. "How did you like it?" He asked motioning to the empty tray.

"Oh, it was - " Botan belched and her whole face turned deep red.

The boy laughed heartily at her embarrassment and shook his head. "Okay, then."

"Sorry." Botan stood up and walked over to him. "If you don't mind, I'll be leaving now."

"Is that so?" She saw something flash in his eyes and Botan backed up a step.

"Yes..."

"Oh, well...No."

"No? What do you mean _no_?" Anger fumed in her.

"I mean no, you're not going _anywhere._"

She knew it. "You're keeping me here? Why?"

"I have my reasons. I can tell you, miss, it would be better if you didn't argue."

Botan clinched her fists and her energy raised. Should she dare? With that woman there?

An image of Hiei eating sweet snow flashed in her mind. Tears welled up and fury boomed in her. "I'm not staying here and you can't keep me!" She summoned her oar and raised it at his head.

He stood there with a bemused look on his face and did nothing to stop her, nor did he try to get out of the way.

Before Botan could blink, Ren was holding the oar. "Fool," she spat out. Botan gasped and before she knew what was happening, she was on the ground clutching her ribs.

"See, Botan? I told you it would have been easier to just go along with it."

Botan gasped in pain and Ikio snapped his fingers. Two guards came in and picked her up.

"Please...What do you want?"

"The same as you. Hiei Jaganshi."

Botan's eyes widened. "What...?"

"That _is_ why you're here, right? You want to find him?" Ikio gasped in fake shock. "Well, rejoice, Botan! As soon as he learns we have you, you'll get that wish."

Botan would have laughed if she wasn't in so much pain. Hiei come for her?

"He won't come for me."

"Oh, Botan." Ikio said condescendingly. "We know more than you."

"I've been tracking Hiei for some time," Ren started. "He seems to always hang out at that psychic Genkai's compound."

Botan gasped.

"That's right. We know about _Yukina_." Ikio said. The way he said her name. It was dripping with vile loathing. Definitely not innocent. "But that's okay. I'm saving that for later. You will do for now."

Botan let out a dark chuckle. "You tracked him? And how did you manage that without him noticing you? He would sense your energy."

"Wrong." Ren snapped. "The only reason you sensed my energy is because I _let_ you. Most of the time I am undetectable"

Botan frowned. "Still don't believe us? Tell her the rest, Ren."

"I tracked him a few times following you." Botan gasped. "The first time was at a human park. You were reading and he was about ten feet away in a tree watching you."

Botan couldn't hear her anymore. The whole world disappeared. Only one thought was in her mind;

'_He was __**watching**__ me?_'

"I also tracked him watching you outside your human dwelling."

That snapped Botan out of her thoughts. "What?"

"He would watch you across the street in a tree."

Botan felt heat rise in her stomach. The very thought...If he was in a tree watching her he had to be using his Jagan. Images of Hiei watching her undress and bathe came to her mind. Or what about the times she pleasured herself? She shivered. What an invasion of her privacy!

"She doesn't like that." Ren chuckled.

"Too bad. As you can see, Botan, Hiei cares for you in some way or another. Or maybe it's some sick obsession." Botan shuddered. "At any case, it doesn't matter. We know he'll come for you." He snapped his fingers again and the guards dropped her.

"Have a nice stay." He said with that same tone as before. Sweet and gentle. Innocent and young. She looked up and the face she saw was the opposite. His eyes had lost their sparkle and his fangs were showing. "Or not." He growled.

They all walked out with Ren in the rear and shut the door. Botan heard locks latch and tears escaped her eyes. What now? Hiei was the reason she was here. Obviously, Ikio had some sort of vendetta against Hiei and wanted revenge for something.

And also...Hiei was watching her. She couldn't get that out of her mind. _Watching_..._**Her**_...

If Hiei came and they all got out of this alive she had a few choice words for him.

Suddenly her stomach heaved in pain. "W-What...?" That wasn't from Ren. _'The food...' _She thought. She ran to the bathroom and vomited.

~TBC


	6. The plot thickens

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

* * *

Why Not

Chapter Six: The plot thickens

X -x-x-x-x- X

"Ooh..." Botan groaned. That was the third time in an hour. "What did he put in that stuff?"

The door unlocked and Ikio and Ren came in. He looked around and peered in the bathroom. "What...Are you alright?"

"Don't try that innocent crap on me again. It won't work anymore."

Ikio frowned and turned to Ren. "What did you do to her food?" His eyes were dark with anger.

"Lord Ikio...I didn't...I didn't do anything to her food...!" He studied her closely as her eyes widened in shock. He smirked. He was the only one that could get an emotion from her.

"Alright, Ren. I apologize." He looked back at the bathroom. "Must have been the cabbage. I thought it looked bad..."

Botan heaved again as a chocked sob made it's way out of her mouth as well as her food.

"Well...this isn't good. We need her healthy..."

"It should wear off in a day or two. It's just food poisoning." Ren stated.

"Yeah...Let's go and leave her be. Besides I have a mission for you..."

"We ready to go?" Yusuke asked.

Kuwabara scoffed.

"I think so." Kurama said checking his pack. Suddenly his eyes snapped open.

Kuwabara stiffened and Yusuke's head popped up. Kurama looked into the woods and sniffed the air.

Female.

"Shit. What the hell..." Yusuke got in a defensive pose and Kuwabara held out his palm ready to summon his sword.

"S class." Kurama simply said.

Genkai was standing at the door. "I know that energy..."

They felt it get closer and closer until...It was at the bottom of the stairs.

They all looked down to see a female warrior of some kind. She was walking slowly up the stairs not even looking at them. She vanished and appeared directly in front of them.

Yusuke stuck his finger out with energy glowing at the end of it and Kuwabara's sword was already out. Kurama simply stood there ready, eying this woman.

"Who the hell are you?" Yusuke asked.

She looked up at them showing her frightening lime green eyes and spoke. "We have your ferry woman."

"WHAT?!" Yusuke shouted. He powered up ready to shoot but Kurama stopped him.

His eyes were cold and sharp. "What do you want?"

"_I_ don't want anything. In fact, I am just here to deliver the message for my master."

"Who is your master?" Kurama's tone was calm with a hint of 'Give the wrong answer and I'll kill you.'

"Ikio Fuugiya." Kurama gasped while Yusuke and Kuwabara just stood there.

Genkai heard her as well and stiffened. "I thought so..."

"Yes, fox. Lord _Fuugiya_ has her. And don't bother looking for her. That little toy on your arm won't find her. His mansion has a shield that cannot be breached."

"Then I suppose your reason for telling us is ransom?"

"No. We want you to tell one of your friends this."

"Who?" Kurama asked, though he already knew.

"Hiei Jaganshi."

"The plot thickens," Yusuke said sarcastically.

"Tell him we have her. If he doesn't come within a week, we'll kill her."

"Why don't we just kill _you_ and look for her ourselves?" Yusuke said pointing at her again.

"I doubt you would be able to touch me, but I were to die, due to some cosmic joke, he would kill her. In fact, if I'm not back in two hours, he'll kill her."

"Great." Yusuke growled.

"Why is it always about Hiei?" Kuwabara asked with his hands in the air.

"And I suppose if we look for her, he'll kill her?" Kurama asked.

"Correct."

"But Hiei's not here. He is in the Makai. We _would_ have to look for _him_."

"That is not our concern. If he's not there in a week she dies. Period. Guess that means it's up to you." Before any could argue she was gone, her energy disappearing with her.

"Shit!" Yusuke swore. "Now what?!"

"The situation hasn't changed, Yusuke. We are still looking for someone. It's just Hiei will be harder to find..."

"The situation _has_ changed, Kurama. You know it as do I." Genkai spoke behind them.

"Wanna fill us in, Grandma?"

"Fuugiya. That name has problems."

* * *

"Did you hear? Dern and Faulk got fucked up."

"What? By who?"

"Some woman."

"A woman?! No fucking way!"

"Yeah, and she wasn't even a demon!"

"Was she human?"

"I don't think so...her hair was blue or something..."

Red eyes flinched and turned towards the conversation.

"Man, that's strange. Wait 'till you hear what I heard."

"What?"

"Rumor has it the Fuugiya family's bodyguard is back."

Red eyes widened again.

"Oh, shit."

"Yeah, and what else is they say that there's one of them left and she's doing his bidding."

"I thought they were all killed. So, what, is this like another heir or something?"

"I guess."

"Man, all sorts of freaky shit is happening." The conversation continued but he paid it no mind.

Fuugiya. That was a name he hadn't heard in a long time.

The bodyguard. He had never seen her but had heard of her before. He had always wondered where she was that day. Why, when the family needed her most, she wasn't there. Perhaps she could have been guarding the heir these two spoke of. But that didn't make any sense.

Whatever - it wasn't his concern anymore. His thoughts went to the _other _thing they spoke of.

Dern and Faulk. He had heard of those two as well. They were notorious for hanging around bars stalking their prey. Mostly their crimes were rape and murder. A woman defeating them? That was laughable to say the least.

And the fact that he thought of _her_ was even more laughable. No way could _she_ have beaten those two. All he knew of her having was an oar and that damn infuriating whistle.

No. It wasn't her.

He finished his drink and slammed some money on the table.

Damn it. He hated that. How the mention of a 'blue haired woman' made his thoughts drift to her. Wasn't he getting tortured enough in his dreams not to have to endure it while he was awake?!

He growled. It. Wasn't. Her.

The wind bristled the hairs on his neck and he brought up his scarf to cover it.  
He scowled down the street and disappeared after a few feet.

* * *

"We have to call Koenma. He would be the only one that can help us." Genkai said.

Kurama looked at Yusuke. "Shut up, Kurama."

"He would have the file on the family right?" Kurama asked, his smirk fading.

"Yes, and the family's demise..."

"The _family_? What are they, the mob?" Yusuke asked.

His question went unanswered as Kurama pulled out the mirror.

_Bring Bring_

"Ugh." Koenma groaned and pushed the 'Incoming call' button.

Kurama's face appeared on the monitor. 'Hello, Koenma.'

"Kurama? This is about Botan, right?"

'Yes. We believe she has been kidnapped by the...Fuugiya family.'

"WHAT?! Oh, dear God...!"

~TBC


	7. The truth

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

* * *

Why Not

Chapter Seven: The truth

X -x-x-x-x- X

'Koenma?'

"I-I need to go to the Ningenkai..._now_...I'll meet you at the temple..."

The image shut off and they all looked at each other.

"Genkai? What the hell is going on?" Yusuke asked.

Genkai sighed. "I might as well tell you."

They all sat down to listen and she began.

"The Fuugiya's were a very powerful demon crime family. In fact, they were the most powerful. But they had one flaw; They were cocky. All of them were weak low levels and they only had a few bodyguards. That woman was one of them. She is by far the strongest and was their enforcer. She carried out orders and made sure their enemies were in check. One night the entire family was slaughtered by a rival family. As far as I know, there was a group of them that were hired just for that."

It was silent for a few minutes, then Yusuke spoke.

"So, what does this have to do with Botan...or Hiei?" He finished that last part as a whisper.

"You'll have to ask Koenma."

Just then said prince burst through the door. He was in his teen form and panting and sweating.

"Koenma?" Kuwabara was shocked at what he saw.

"Hey." He panted some more. "Did she tell you?"

"Yeah, except we don't know why they want Hiei." Yusuke asked with his arms crossed.

"Oh. How much did you tell them?"

"Everything I know."

"Not everything, though?"

"I thought you should do it."

"Okay, can we stop with the super secret talk? Just tell us what they want!"

"They want Hiei. They're using Botan as bait. You know that." Genkai said before nodding to Koenma.

"Yusuke..." The prince sighed, "Hiei was one of the members of that team that killed the Fuugiya family."

Yusuke looked around. Kurama was thoughtful, he already knew, Yusuke figured, and Kuwabara looked shocked and then even more furious than before. Yusuke sighed. "And?"

"Every single member of that raid has been brutally murdered. As well as members of their family."

Kuwabara gasped. "NO!"

Koenma looked confused and looked at Yusuke and Kurama.

"He knows." Genkai said.

"I see." Koenma looked down and took in a breath. "What exactly did Ren say to you?"

"Ren?" Yusuke asked.

"The woman." Kurama said.

"Yes, her name is Ren Fuugiya. She is not a true member of the family but adopted the name when she joined them. She is ranked as an S class and is deadly. I have no doubt she is the one who killed all the others." Koenma finished with a frown. '_Botan...'_

"What about her master?" Kurama asked. Koenma looked up.

"Ikio, right? Yeah, that's a little hard to explain. Basically, the Fuugiya family knew they had many enemies so when their last son was born they hid him. They never let anyone know they had another son so I'm sure the raid knew nothing about him."

"How old was he?" Yusuke asked shocking everyone that he wanted to know.

"Five."

Botan was lying on the bed trying to just breath. She hadn't throw up in a few hours so she assumed she was okay. The door unlocked again and Ikio came in again. "Ugh." She groaned.

"I know, I know. I'm the last person you wanted to see. But...I had to check in on you."

"Right, because your little plan will fall apart if I die." She sneered.

"Yes, basically."

She sat up and looked at the demon she once called a boy. He looked the same. The hate was gone from his eyes and they were sparkling again. Was it just an act or something? Or was this the real him?

"Ikio?" This time her tone was gentle.

He looked at her. "Yeah?"

"Tell me. Tell me why."

"My family. My mother, my father, my brother, my sister, they were all murdered by a rival family. This rival family was always trying to control us and take us down. One night they made us what they called a 'final offer'. My father refused." He sighed. "All the stories about us are wrong. We didn't kill people. We just had respect. People feared us because we were powerful in that regard. But we didn't _kill_ people. My father said it was below him. We didn't hurt anyone..."

"What does this have to do with Hiei?" Botan asked telling herself she already knew, but she wouldn't listen.

"_Hiei_?" His voice changed again. "Hiei was the one who killed my family single handedly!" Botan gasped and Ikio chuckled darkly. "Reikai thinks that it was a raid of some sort, that it was a group. That's only half true. The group killed all of our employees and Hiei killed my family."

"How do you know that?"

"Over the years I vowed I would find whoever was the one who personally killed my family. Eventually, I found out through the others that were hired. They're all dead. All well as _their_ families."

"I don't believe you." She said in a huff. She knew Hiei had committed crimes but slaying a whole family? For what? Money? That didn't sound like the Hiei she knew...But then again she didn't know him very long...

"Do you think I give a _fuck_ what you think?!" He shouted. Botan jumped and found herself backing up on the bed as he advanced. "_He_ did it. I know it. He's the only one left and each of the others all said his name. He _killed_ my family in cold blood! He killed them without mercy! And for what?! A BAG OF FUCKING MONEY?!" His voice was screaming now forcing Ren to run in, her eyes wide.

"Ikio..."

Ikio turned around with his fangs baring. "That's _Lord _Ikio to you." He seethed. "Now get out."

"Y-yes sir...Lord Ikio..." She bowed and went back out closing the door.

Botan was almost in tears now. "W-wha - "

"What am I going to do?" He said sadistically. "First, I'm going to lure him here. That's up to your friends, who by the way won't be coming or else I'll kill you. Then when he gets here I'll - "

"You'll what? Force him to concede? You obviously don't know Hiei very well. He won't just give himself over to you, and certainly not for me."

"Shut up. Talk again and Ren will cut out your tongue. I intend to have you locked up where he can't find you, not even with his _Jagan_." He said Jagan like a teasing child. "He may be strong but not as strong as Ren. She will defeat him. Not kill, mind you, just defeat. I'll lock him up and starve and torture him for a while. Then I'm going to bring you in and kill you right in front of him. Then I'll get Yukina and kill her too. Slowly and painfully. Then when he's broken I'll kill him tortuously slow."

"You're an immature child. That plan will never work. I don't know why Ren hasn't made you see that yet. Maybe she's just loyal."

"Ren, could you come in here, please? And bring your knife." He said with a happy tone. Botan gasped and put her hands over her mouth. He looked over at her with a sick grin. "I told you what would happen. That little bitch tongue goes."

Botan sobbed and ran to the bathroom. She shut the door but there was no lock. She sobbed harder.

She heard some talking over her sobs and whined for her life. What could she do? Ren would hurt her horribly if she tried to escape. She heard yelling and stomping. A knock at the door made her cry.

"You're lucky, ferry girl." It was Ren. Botan opened the door and stared at this woman she was supposed to fear. Instead of fear she almost wanted to hug her.

"He hardly ever looses his temper like that. When he does he gets...cruel. Most of the time he's calm and gentle...but not when he gets angry. It's like a curse or something..."

Botan saw a hint of sadness in her strong lime green eyes. "Why do you take orders from him?"

Ren scowled and turned around. "Next time I'll use this." She said holding out a knife.

Ugh. No more sympathy.

Ren walked out locked the door..same old same old...

"So, where do we start first?" Yusuke asked looking at the Makai forest.

"Hiei used to like bars a lot and drifted in between them all the time. I believe that's how he met Goki."

"Fabulous. Which one of the million bars to we go to first?"

Silence.

"Oh, fuck."

"Let's just ask around. Apparitions love to gossip. If he has been seen somebody will know."

"Great. Just great."

"Shut up Urameshi. Let's just do it."

"Fine."

They started walking around the small demon town hearing whispers like 'Raizen', and 'Yoko' and 'Who is that human?' They saw a bar up ahead and Yusuke scoffed.

"Might as well."

They walked in and immediately they all dropped their mouths.

"HIEI!"

~TBC


	8. Convincing

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

* * *

Why Not

Chapter Eight: Convincing

X -x-x-x-x- X

"HIEI?!"

That vodka would have tasted good if it wasn't up his wind pipe right now from gasping. "What the hell?!" He choked.

"Hiei, you bastard! We found you!" Yusuke's tone was a mix of happiness and anger.

Hiei glared at his former teammates. "What do you want?"

"We got a bone to pick with you." Kuwabara growled.

"Hiei, we need your help." Kurama said gently.

"Go look somewhere else. I'm done with saving humans."

"What about saving Botan?"

Hiei flinched and blinked a few times. "Heh. I care even less for that stupid ferry woman than I do humans."

Kuwabara charged Hiei and grabbed him by the scarf. "You selfish coward!" He screamed getting a few looks.

"Excuse me?" Hiei was still calm but his eyes had narrowed.

"You heard me. You're a selfish coward! Botan is here in the Makai because of you!"

Hiei stiffened. Then-what they said was true. It _was_ her... "Why would she be here because of me?"

"Because she probably wants to kick your ass for what you did to Yukina!" Hiei's eyes widened. "Yeah that's right. I know."

Hiei looked around at them and they all had the same face; Anger. Well, Kurama was a little more calm but he was as serious as he gets.

"So? What does this matter to me? I don't care what she thinks."

Kuwabara let out an infuriated growl and raised his fist to hit him, until Kurama stopped him.

"Put him down, Kuwabara. We need him. You heard what Ren said."

He sighed and did what he was told.

"Ren?"

"Yes. Ren _Fuugiya_."

Hiei would have gasped if he wasn't trained to hold in his emotions.

Then-that was true as well. The bodyguard is back. But what about the heir? Could it be? "Fuugiya? Then you know..."

"Yeah, we know how you murdered an entire family for money." Yusuke said that in his usual way. There wasn't any anger or hatred in his tone. Just...disappointment.

_That_ almost hurt more.

"I - " Hiei looked down then back up. "You wouldn't understand..."

"We understand, Hiei. You're just evil." Kuwabara sneered.

Hiei kept his face unemotional and crossed his arms. "Hn. You just now figure that out?"

"Hiei, stop please. We need your help. Botan needs your help." Kurama eased.

"Like I care."

"What if we told you Ikio Fuugiya has captured her?"

Hiei's blood boiled. "_Ikio_ Fuugiya?"

"Yes. Apparently the Fuugiya family had another son that they hid. We can't go look for her because he will kill her if we get near."

"How can he tell?"

"I have a feeling Ren is tracking us without being detected. She knows. Only you can go get her."

"And if I don't?"

"He will kill her."

Hiei's fury was making his body temperature go up even though his face stayed the same. Kurama knew the heat was from Hiei but Yusuke and Kuwabara remained ignorant.

"Is it getting hot in here?" Yusuke asked tugging on his collar.

"Hn. A week?" His face remained stone.

"That's right."

"I don't have time for this." He snorted. He started for the door but Yusuke and Kuwabara stood in his way.

"No way, Hiei. You're doing this even if we have to force you." Yusuke said as his finger glowed.

"And how do you plan to _force_ me?" Damn it all! Why can't they just let him leave with some dignity so he can go rescue Botan?!

"Take a guess." Yusuke's glow went brighter.

"Heh. You really want this? And what happens if I don't get to her in time?"

"Then you die." Yusuke said pointing at him.

"Oh, I see. Fine then. I'll go _rescue_ the woman. And then I'm going to kill you."

Hiei disappeared and they all looked at each other. "Think he'll really do it?" Yusuke asked.

"Couldn't you tell, Yusuke? Hiei wears a mask of indifference to hide his emotions. He really did want to go but didn't want us to know that. He will find her."

"And then Yukina's next." Kuwabara said clenching his fist.

Botan had been crying all night. The very thought of Hiei doing what Ikio said was painful. It made her whole body ache. That word came to her lips again. "Why?" She sobbed. Thoughts about all that had happened raced through her mind.

Hiei told Yukina her brother was definitely dead. He threatened her. She saw his tears gems.

She saw his face. He had been crying. Hiei - crying. That made her hurt more.

He threatened her. He _left_ her.

She decided to find him. She was threatened by two demons. She blasted them to hell.

Ikio found her. He was nice and kind even though he stuck her with a needle.

She was served food that made her sick, but she figured it was by accident.

Ikio showed his true colors and she found out about Hiei's past.

Hiei...had killed an entire family all by himself.

And also she found out that Hiei was watching her. After all this that was still the thought she couldn't get out of her mind.

He. Was. Watching. _Her_.

Watching her do what, though? Was it innocent or dirty? Did he turn away when she did private things?

Botan had always secretly wanted Hiei to be watching her. But now that it was a reality she couldn't help but be violated a little. Still, she got this _weird_ feeling also when she thought about it.

Was was that? It wasn't fear, or anger. It gave her butterflies in her stomach and made her face hot.

Was she...?

She stopped her thoughts and wiped her face. She sniffled and pulled out his gem again.

It was red mixed with purple. "Red...anger...Purple..." She sniffled again.  
She had never seen it mix colors before.

"Oh, Hiei. What are you feeling?"

Guilt. Overwhelming guilt. He was also furious. How could this have happened?!

It was all his fault! All because of his past choices!

Why couldn't anyone see that _this_ was the reason he told Yukina her brother was dead?

Why couldn't anyone see that he was hated and despised by so many?

Why couldn't anyone see that Botan was the one paying for his sins?

Hiei seethed. Running past the trees at a blinding speed, he let out a loud growl.

_'I'm coming...Botan...'_

~TBC


	9. Fear

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

* * *

Why Not

Chapter Nine: Fear

X -x-x-x-x- X

Three days. It had been three days and nothing. _Three_ damn days.

He figured finding her with his Jagan would be pointless but after two days of running he gave up and tried anyway. Blinding pain shot through his whole body when he did. It took him a few hours for him to even walk. Today the pain is numb, like a light headache. Damn child. He set up a shield for _everything_.

He let out a low growl and stopped in his tracks. How the hell was he supposed to do this?! How would he even know where to start? He had ran to town and asked around and the only clue he got was, 'west'. Of course the man he was getting information from was bleeding to death. His sword slipped or something...

He sighed as his stomach growled. He hadn't had food in three days. He should probably eat before he weakens. Weakening was not a good plan right now. He sniffed the air trying to find an animal to eat. Usually when Hiei would hunt, he chose small animals. Big animals were a waste to kill if he couldn't eat all of it. Rabbits, birds, squirrels, and even snakes satisfied him enough.

He caught glimpse of a deer and sniffed. It was female, young, and it seemed healthy. Did he really have time to look for something small and kill it? It wouldn't hurt this one time.

She rose up her head sniffing the bush making sure to get just the right leaf - dead.

Hiei looked at the poor creature he just beheaded. Wait, poor? Damn ferry girl! Wearing off on him!

He made a camp near the animal and made a suitable fire pit to cook it. He could have ate it raw but the stink of that would be on his breath for a few days, and if he found Botan in that time it wouldn't be good.

It was nearing night again and he stared at the sunset while chewing a rib.

The red blended with the orange perfectly. A streak of purple lined the sky with dark blue and black setting in. Really beautiful. The only thing about the Makai that was. He swallowed his meat and threw the bone. Night set in and he knew he would need sleep. He could search in the night, but it would cost him. If he slept now he could wake very early and search again.

He looked up at a tree and jumped to the highest branch. He settled on it and crossed his arms over his chest with his sword under them. He closed his eyes and hoped he would fall asleep quickly.

_The trees seemed to mock him as he ran through the endless forest. Laughter echoed in his ears._

_He stopped and the forest got darker. Black becoming a void in which he could not move._

_A figure seemed to move though he could not see it._

_He could hear screaming and laughing. The screams were bloodcurdling and the laughs demented._

_The screams were...Botan! "Botan!" He screamed._

_Thudding wet sounds were heard along with her chocked gasps. Until there was no more._

_Hiei looked around, blackness still surrounding him until a small light shined to the left._

_It was a door. He blinked and watched it open further. His stomach dropped and his eyes flitted._

_He slowly creped towards the door feeling fear enter his heart. _

_He reached the door, which was a quarter open, and grabbed the knob. He swallowed and took in a breath._

_He entered the room, which was decorated much like a young girls room, hearing a soft melody twinkle on a music box. His heart dropped to his stomach. It was just like the young Fuugiya girl's bedroom. The same song that haunted him for so long entered his ears._

_A small figure was sleeping in the bed, jut like then. He felt bile rise in his gut._

_She was first. She was the one he killed first. In her sleep._

_He walked over to the bed and saw only her head. _

_He pulled down the sheet and jumped back with a shout._

_Face twisted in terror and pain. Slashed ribs showing the bone. Slit throat still leaking blood.  
Stomach ripped open with the intestines falling out. _

_And...blue hair matted with blood._

_Hiei screamed like no other time in his life. Screaming in panic and horror his hands reached up to his eyes, almost wanting to scratch them out. _

"_This is your fault, you know." _

_He gasped and brought his hands down only covering his mouth._

_Nothing had changed though he was sure she spoke. He looked her over again, his panic reaching it's peak. _

_Her eyes shot to him. "__**You**__ killed me."_

Hiei screamed and almost fell out of the tree. His breathing was almost hyperventilating and his heart was thudding in his ears.

"Oh, God..." His voice shook. "What have I done..."

~TBC


	10. Poker?

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

* * *

Why Not

Chapter Ten: Poker?

X -x-x-x-x- X

"How close?"

"Three miles."

"You sure it's her?"

"Yes."

_Flashback_

"_Kurama what are we supposed to do? Let Hiei do it all? What about that woman?" Yusuke asked._

"_We will find her and keep her from Hiei."_

"_How?"_

"_With this." Kurama held up a single hair._

"_Okay..."_

"_The compass, Yusuke..."_

"_Oh! But how do you know it's her hair?"_

"_People with long hair tend to shed. It was right where she was standing and it smells like her."_

"_Kurama...I officially love you."_

_Kurama sweat-dropped. "O...kay..."_

_End flashback_

"Now what do we do?"

"If she's following Hiei's speed then it will be hard to catch up. But according to this she is not moving right now. I suggest we move as fast as possible to get to her before she moves again."

"Right! Can you handle that, Kuwabara?"

"Go to hell."

"Let's go."

Hiei's latest tip had led him to a nameless club. He sighed. He had to get in. According to his tip a young man with blond hair and a woman fitting Ren's description had been there two weeks ago.

He strolled up to the guard and didn't look up at him. A hand on his chest stopped him.

"Name?"

What the hell. "Ikio Fuugiya."

The man widened his eyes and looked puzzled. "Uh..."

"What? You don't _believe _me? Maybe I should get _Ren._"

"I-I don't think so. He has blonde hair."

"Fine." Hiei whipped off his bandanna and we all know the rest. When he got inside he was surprised that it was a more like a casino than a club. He saw many people playing poker and couldn't believe it. They were behaving like...Humans... "Ugh." He grimaced.

"Hey! Young man! Wanna play?"

Hiei looked over at a man with sunglasses waving at him.

"Play?"

"Yeah, poker! I beat all my other partners!"

"Well, when you put it that way..."

He sat down and got a closer look at this man.

He had long black hair pulled back in a ponytail, a purple bandanna that wrapped over the top of his head and forehead, black sunglasses, leather jacket, torn jeans, and no shirt. He had an eager grin on his face. He kind of reminded him of Yusuke.

"Anty up!" He said shuffling the cards. Hiei scoffed and pulled out a few Makai coins. "That all you got? Man this is gonna be quick!"

"Hn."

"Not too talkative, are ya?"

"Actually, I need information. I doubt you have it, though."

"Oh, I'm not as dumb as I look, kid. Hit me with it!"

"Do you know of the Fuugiya family?"

The man's eyebrow raised under his sunglasses and he smirked. "Well, I sure picked one hell of a poker partner! The Fuugiya's, huh? I might..."

"For a price." That wasn't a question and both men knew it.

"I'll tell you what. You beat me and I'll tell you what I know. Sound good?"

"What do I give you if you beat me?"

"Your money, you dummy!" He said grinning. Yusuke, definitely.

"Fine."

"We're close. Be on your guard." Kurama said cautiously.

"How close?" Yusuke asked.

"A few blocks."

"We can't sneak up on her, can we?"

"No. But she can us."

"Kuwabara, you pickin' up anything?"

"No."

Man, he hated Kuwabara being like this! When this was over he was going to get him to accept his apology, or kill him trying!

They heard a twig snap and all of them had weapons out. A few seconds later, a gray rabbit hopped out.

"Oh, a bunny!" Kuwabara chirped.

"Seriously..." Yusuke rolled his eyes.

The rabbit sniffed and looked right at them. "I'm glad to see not _all_ animals in the Makai are horrible!"

"Um, Kuwabara..." Kurama started.

The rabbit stood up and sniffed again and sat back down. It opened it's mouth and bared at least fifty fangs and roared.

"AHH! EVIL BUNNY!" Kuwabara screamed as it charged at them.

Fortunately it was dead before it could reach them, thanks to Kurama.

"Oh, yeah I remember now." Yusuke said. "I had to fight off hundreds of those here."

"Damn you, Urameshi! You coulda told me!"

"Not everything's my fault!"

"If you had told me - "

"What, none of this woulda happened?! Get a clue! We all know who's fault this is!"

"Placing blame isn't - " Kurama stopped and spun on his heels. "Yusuke! Kuwa - !"

A thunderous blast shook the forest before he could finish.

"Well?" Hiei's face remained stone. He knew of this human game and knew how to bluff. His hand sucked. "Call." The man sat down his hand showing a full house.

"Shit." He said quietly but loud enough for the man to hear.

"Oh? Did I beat you? Lemme see!"

Hiei sat down his cards revealing three of a kind.

"Whahoo! I win!"

Hiei growled. He thought of using his sword but this man didn't do anything really.

An image of the dream flashed in his mind.

"Fuck it."

Before the man could blink a katana was at his neck. "Whoa, there, partner! Nobody likes a sore loser!"

"Tell me." He spat.

"Sorry, no can do. You want info you gotta give me something."

"I just gave you all my money!" He shouted.

"Hey, Leis is there a problem?" Some guy asked the man.

The man now known as Leis shook his head. "Naw, we're roll playing." The guy gave a 'huh' look and Leis chuckled. "Go away." He said under his breath. The guy walked away shaking his head. "Come on, now. You don't wanna die, do ya?"

"I could destroy this whole place in seconds. Talk."

"You think I can just open my mouth and talk about the Fuugiya's without anything happening to me? I need something in return!"

Hiei growled and reached in his pocket, his sword still on the man. He pulled out a small black bag and slammed it on the table. "You speak one word of what's in that bag and you die."

His sword lowered and Leis opened the bag and put his hand inside. He felt something and pulled it out. It was a black gem. "Well I'll be damned. This what I think it is?"

"Yes." He seethed. He hated this! Giving his own tear gems to a stranger!

"_**You **__killed me." _Then again...

"How many?" He asked closing the bag.

"About seven."

"How much is that worth?"

"I sold two for 10,000."

"HOLY SHIT ON A STICK!" He almost fell out of his chair. "And how is it you only had 300 here?! Where'd the rest go?!"

"I like alcohol."

"Oh. Damn, boy! How are you even moving?! Alright, what is it you want to know about them?"

"Tell me what you know of Ikio Fuugiya."

"Ikio? Oh, he was always a little bitch."

"You know him?" He said shocked he had gotten this lucky.

"Yeah. I used to fuck his brother." Hiei widened his eyes. "Weren't expectin' that were ya?"

~TBC


	11. Unlikely hero

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

* * *

Why Not

Chapter Eleven: Unlikely hero

X -x-x-x-x- X

Chocolate eyes opened and a groan escaped his mouth. "Oh, hell." He heard his comrades groaning and breathing so he knew they were alive. He sat up and shouted in pain. His side hurt like a mother! He looked at his side and saw the problem. In mid air he managed to stick himself with – well, a stick. It was at least six inches in. "Shiiit..." He moaned. He heard Kurama moan and gasp and looked over.

Kurama was about nine feet away from him and his head had a gash on it with blood running down his face. "Kuwabara?" He called out. "Kuwabara!" He shouted.

They heard a shout and both looked over. He was stuck about four feet up in a tree.

"How did you get up there?"

"I flew?" He said in a shaky voice.

"Can you jump down?"

He did and cried in pain. His foot.

"Agh! I think it went!"

Kurama bent over wiping the blood from his head so it wouldn't get in his eyes, and looked at Kuwabara's foot. "Sprained. Nothing too serious. What about you, Yusuke?"

"Oh, nothing. I'm just bleeding to death."

"WHAT?!" Kuwabara ran on his sprained foot straight to Yusuke.

Yusuke was sitting in a pool of blood clutching a thick branch in his side.

Kurama came over and inspected the wound. "I can pull it out."

"No need." Yusuke grasped the branch and pulled it out quickly making him scream in pain.

"Urameshi!"

"I-It's okay..." He winced.

"Wow. If you all can't handle that, you're in serious trouble."

They all looked over at Ren who was twenty feet away from them with her arms crossed.

"Ren." Yusuke coughed.

"Kuwabara, Yusuke is injured. We need to be cautious."

"We're injured too!"

"Yes, but not as serious."

"Oh, shove it up your ass." Yusuke stood up groaning and clutching his side. "Other than this, I'm fine. And I would have been if this hadn't had happened. Guess that means your energy is weaker than a stick."

Ren chuckled and uncrossed her arms. "We'll see about that, boy."

"You fighting fair?"

"I don't see what's fair about beating a bunch of weaklings to a bloody pulp, but if you mean will I disappear, no I won't."

"Good."

"When I'm done with you your jaganshi is next."

Yusuke scowled and got in stance. Kurama got out his whip and Kuwabara summoned his jigen.

"How fun." Immediately she was on them with blinding speed. She jumped Kuwabara first dodging Kurama's whip.

She gave him a stern kick to the ribs sending him backwards. Kurama attacked her with his whip which she catched without flinching. She wrapped it around her wrist and pulled it away from him.

"Toys don't work on me." She flung it at him which he dodged in return. "Next."

Yusuke charged her, fists ready. He began hitting her and of course she blocked his punches with ease.

They continued to fight as blood squirted out of Yusuke's side. He began to slow and she raised her fist glowing with red energy and punched him there. He screamed and fell to the ground.

He was writhing in pain, and Kuwabara's rage grew. He swung his sword at her creating a slice in thin air. The slice headed for her and she jumped to the left. Kurama's vined wrapped around her legs and she started to grab at them. Before she could another plant wrapped around her waist and bit her neck. A mini version of the ojiki.

She shouted and exploded with energy and all the plants disintegrated.

Yusuke had passed out from blood loss, Kuwabara could hardly walk, and Kurama's vision was blurry, most likely from his head trauma.

She scoffed. "This ceases to be entertaining. I'm finishing you."

Kuwabara looked at his sword and knew what he had to do. "Kurama, wake Urameshi up."

"What?"

"I have an idea but I need his help."

Kurama went to Yusuke, and pulled out a leaf out of his pocket and waved it in front of his nose.

"Uh..uh.." He groaned waking back up. "Oh, fuck, I didn't..."

"You did."

"I've had worse than this..."

"Yusuke, I hate to tell you this, but you _did_ get hurt by the blast. You got most of the brunt of it. Mix that with blood loss and it's not a good combination."

"Ahh..."

"Urameshi."

"Huh?"

"You help me with this and I'll forgive you."

He blinked and flashed his cocky grin.

"Enough! You die." Red energy grew in her hands and pulsed making the forest reverberate.

"What is it?"

"Give me your energy."

* * *

"Weren't expecting that, were ya?"

"Well, no. Though I should have guessed by the way you're dressed."

"I know! You're the only one not to!"

"You were saying?"

"Oh, yeah. I was telling you I had it in with the family - Obviously."

"Tell me about Ikio."

"Well, he was always a little whiner. He was always hanging on his mother and father crying. 'I'm scared!' He was always scared of something, little wimp."

"How is it no one found out about him?"

"Oh, he didn't live with the family. He lived in a safe house with Ren. He would visit and sometimes spend the night. But never for long. They were so afraid for him to be found. Something about his power..."

"Power?"

"Yeah. He was born with a curse or something. When he gets angry...he changes. He becomes powerful and dangerous. Insane. I saw him erupt when he was three because he lost his ball."

"Hn." A cursed child. That was ironic.

"Well anyway, he was hidden not only for than but for protection from enemies. After me and Keno broke it off I still remained friends with the family. Hell, I was still workin' for 'em!"

"You worked for them?"

"Yeah until about three months before the raid. Lucky me huh? Yeah I remember that day... You see, I went over to Ren and Ikio's house while they were on their way to see the family. We went over to the house together and instantly me and Ren knew when we reached the gates. Probably cause the guards were dead. We went inside and saw dead bodies everywhere. The kid screamed and ran to the kitchen. We tried to stop him..."

Hiei stiffened. He knew what the boy saw. How he left them.

"Yeah...His mom and dad were on the floor, blood everywhere. Seems that a group killed all the employees and their families. Musta been fifty of them for that. But only one came to the main house. Just one. Missa was asleep in her bed..." Leis stopped and shifted in his seat. "Kid changed after that. His eyes went dark and lost their sparkle."

"Where is he now?"

"Why?" He asked eying Hiei.

"He has kidnapped one of...someone I know." He almost said 'one of my friends.' But Botan would never call him that.

"Why the hell would he do that?"

"I don't know." He lied hoping he wouldn't see right through him.

"Naw. Somethin' ain't right. He would _never _do something violent unless it was anger or revenge. What'd you do to him?"

"I gave you those. Just answer me." He said pointing at the black bag.

There was silence and the man sighed heavily. "He lives in a mansion twelve miles east from here."

Hiei disappeared without a word and Leis sighed again.

"See ya, Hiei Jaganshi." He said, even though Hiei had never said his name.

* * *

"Your energy?"

"Yeah...I learned something from Genkai."

"Genkai's teachin'_ you_ cool shit now?!"

"Just shut up and help me! I'll need your help too, Kurama."

"Of course."

Her energy was out of control turning the whole forest red. "Die."

She disappeared and reappeared directly in front of them only to find a glowing jigen tou.  
It was glowing gold and the energy was surrounding the human. Lines of energy were seen going into the sword coming from the hanyou and the kitsune.

"Wha - ?"

"No, _you_ die!"

He swung it creating a wave of energy that was formed into a rift. The rift expanded and opened making a hole. Electric energy sparked all around and she screamed getting shocked. The hole pulsated and drew in the energy that was shocking her.

"No! NO!" The rift pulled her in, and in a last ditch effort, she blasted at it only to find it did nothing.

Sucked it right up.

"AHHHH!" She screamed and was pulled into the void, as it shut. Crackling sounds subsided and they all sighed in relief.

"We just beat an S class..." Yusuke panted.

"_I_ beat an S class." Kuwabara said proudly.

Pause,

"LIKE HELL YOU DID! THAT WAS _MY_ ENERGY YOU WERE USING!"

"Please - " Kurama was cut off by yelling and screaming. "Oh, never mind."

Twelve miles. Only twelve miles and he would have her – wait, _rescue_ her.

He shook his head.

Only twelve miles...

~TBC


	12. Through his eyes

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

* * *

Why Not

Chapter Twelve: Through his eyes

X -x-x-x-x- X

It had been at least an hour. A whole hour since he came in and sat down on the chair he had pulled in front of the window. He hadn't said anything when he came in. He was just sitting there, staring out the window.

At first Botan was scared and angry, but now she was...curious.

She studied his face and demeanor. His eyes weren't cold or evil but they had no spark either. They looked dead. His posture was polite but sad. She couldn't help but think how _young_ he looked.

Her thoughts flashed to when she saw Hiei after he had lost to Yusuke. The same feeling crept up in her. What a waste. Again that _feeling_ of wanting to save this creature hit her. But he was just a demon right?

One that had shown horrible ways and threatened her. Just - like Hiei...

But Hiei had changed. Sort of. He wasn't as horrible as he was when she first met him. Hiei was a demon but had thoughts and feelings of his own. She looked at his eyes.

This was...a person with thoughts and feelings. A person that had something terrible happen to him and wanted revenge. But was that it? Just revenge? Was he evil or not? Was he just somebody that had hate in his heart, or just somebody that hated his life?

Botan frowned. "Ikio?"

"Huh?" His voice was dazed and light.

"Are you really going to kill me?"

A pause longer than any filled the room. "...Yes."

"Kill an innocent person? Isn't that what Hiei did to you?" God, she hated saying that! But she had to convince this kid what he was doing was wrong! And she knew that she was right...

"Oh, I see. Guilt won't work."

"You'll hurt other people that have not hurt you in any way if you kill me."

"So? Why should I care? Nobody cares about me."

"Ren does." He flinched and faced her. "Anybody can see that." She smiled a little and he blinked.

"Ren - was obligated."

"Sure." Get past the polite act he had and he was a little like Hiei.

"Wanna hear it?"

"What?"

"The truth, through my eyes."

"Oh...alright..." Botan swallowed. She was just about to hear...

* * *

"_Yo, what's up, kiddo?"_

"_Hi, Leis!" A boy with shining blue eyes smiled up at the bigger man._

"_Ren. How's it hanging?"_

"_Idiot," she spat._

"_Are you two gonna get married 'cause you fight all the time," the boy giggled._

"_Marriage ain't about fighting!" He scruffled the boy's hair and laughed._

"_Why are you here?" Ren asked._

"_I was going over to the house and I wanted to bring the kid."_

"_At __**night**__? I don't think so."_

"_Aw, please Ren? __**Please**__?" The boy begged._

_She sighed and smirked. "Alright. But I'm too coming, obviously."_

"_Swell," Leis said sarcastically earning another glare._

_As they approached the gate instantly they knew something was wrong. The guards were gone. _"_Where'd they go?" The child squeaked._

_Leis opened the gate and stepped in. "The house."_

_They went to the door and saw it was locked. "Window," Ren said as not to disturb the boy._

"_Yes," Leis agreed._

"_Hmm? What window?" That's when he saw the guards dead in the hall. He gasped and screamed. It was strange for a demon to not have seen death before, but his family had shielded him from it. _"_Mommy! Daddy!" He ran from them into the kitchen ignoring their __shouts. That smell. It was copper? _

_He burst through the door and his eyes went wide as saucers. Ren and Leis came in behind and gasped in unison._

_Blood was all over the walls mixed with entrails. The bodies didn't look recognizable anymore as they lay on the floor, sprawled out in twisted and unnatural positions._

_Whoever this was wasn't just an assassin but a sadistic madman._

_Ikio let out the most deafening scream ever known as he ran to his mother's corpse. He reached out to her and his hands became covered in blood. _"_Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY!" He hyperventilated. Ren went to him and pulled him away from her as he screamed and violently kicked his legs. _"_NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!" Ren pulled him close and held him tight against her. __He sobbed and screamed into her chest._

_Leis ran to the other rooms to see if he got everybody. He ran to Missa's room and plowed through the door. The music box was still playing. And a figure was still in the bed. He went to the bed and pulled back the blanket seeing blood soaked in the sheets. Her neck had been slit. He let out an anguished cry and sank to his knees. He knew better than to check on Keno. He knew they were all dead._

"_Shh..." She soothed trying to calm the child. __They were outside away from the stench of death._

"_Ren..." He said muffled by her shirt._

"_Yes, baby?" _

_He pulled away and looked at her. His eyes were of someone full of hate and Ren gasped._

"_I will get them. I will make them all pay. I will hurt them the way my Mommy and Daddy were hurt."_

"_Oh, Ikio..." Tears filled his eyes and they went back to innocence._

"_Why? Why do people have to be so bad? Why?" He sobbed and she pulled him in._

* * *

Tears were falling down his face as his shoulders shook. He brought his hands up to his face to hide it and sobbed.

Botan had tears as well. Hiei..._Hiei_ did that... She gulped and tried to sniff the tears back but it didn't work. She let out a sob and found her feet moving. Before she knew it she had her arms around his shoulders holding him. "I'm so sorry..." She cried and he sobbed harder. Before _he_ knew it he had his arms around her waist.

They held each other for a while and then Ikio pushed away. "What - ?"

"Oh," she sniffed blushing. What the _hell_ was she thinking?!

"I - " Before he could finish a guard was at the door.

"Sir! Ren has not come back in the allowed time!"

He gasped. Ren knew if she wasn't here in two hours the woman would die. She would never be late unless...Something had happened... "No..." He whispered. He looked at Botan and wanted to be angry at her but... "Lock her in the special room. We can't take any chances with...Ren gone."

Botan whimpered as the guard took her by the arm with a bindfold in his hand.

Before she was blindfolded she saw Ikio with his head in his hands.

The blindfold came off and she was pushed into a dark room. It was small and had no windows. A single light bulb hanging from a string was all the light in it. A mat on he floor and a small toilet were the only amities.

The door slammed and she sighed. "I go from tacky to murky." She sat on the mat and sighed. "Oh, Hiei...Why would you kill them that way?"

But if he can't find her with his Jagan...Then what would happen? Would he kill everyone here just like that night? Tears fell as she thought of it. And what about Yukina? What would Ikio do to her if Hiei fell? And what if Yukina found out that Hiei was her brother and found this out as well?

She knew in that moment how foolish she had been.

"_This _is why you didn't tell her. Oh, God, why didn't I see? I'm such a fool..."

She cried softly with her head in her knees.

"So _this_ is where he lives." The figure in black sneered and a growl escaped his lips. "I will make you pay, Ikio Fuugiya.

His eyes were darker than ever as he lifted his head out of his hands. "I will make you pay, Hiei Jaganshi."

~TBC


	13. Past meets present

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

**A/N: Keep in mind that -normal- is the present and -_italic_- is the past.**

* * *

Why Not

Chapter Thirteen: Past meets present

X -x-x-x-x- X

The guards were down in minutes and the shield had dissipated. Like he was asking him to come in. He smirked and jumped over the gate. "Too easy." He jumped to the second floor and found an open window. "Bastard."

_The window was open just like they had planned. He opened it slowly as not to disturb the child. He entered and heard a small melody playing. A music box. He looked over at the bed and unsheathed his sword._

He ran through the halls at undetectable speed. He tried to find her with his Jagan but he was being blocked. He growled in frustration and headed towards the main hall. He would tear apart this whole house if he had to.

_He crept toward her and pulled back the blanket. She stirred and shivered but did not wake. She was sleeping peacefully, completely unaware of what was about to happen. He lifted the sword and took in a breath. He had never killed a child __**this**__ small before. She couldn't have been any older than two. _

_He brought the blade up to her neck and slit. The blood was instant and she moaned and coughed. Still, she did not wake. He brought the blanket back up around her and left, that melody haunting him._

Did he have no guards?! Where was everyone? This was _too_ easy. What was he planning? He didn't care. All that mattered was Botan. If he could just find her...

"Hello."

The voice was innocent and gentle. He turned around to see a similar version to _him_.

"_So, did you do it?"_

"_If you mean did I just kill an innocent child, your sister, then yes."_

"_You know what you must do next."_

"_Your parents."_

"_Yes."_

_Hiei had a deep pain in his stomach. He did not like killing that girl. But what did it matter? It was just a child, a worthless child. That didn't make the pain go away._

_"You're not having second thoughts, are you?" He spun around in his chair revealing a young man with dirty blond hair and light blue eyes. His hair was shoulder length and his eyes were cold._

"_You never did tell me why."_

"_Because they all deserve to die. Everyone will think it was a rival family. I will be the only survivor and then I will take over this territory and be more powerful than my father."_

"_I see. Keno, you are evil."_

"_As are you. Now do it."_

_He couldn't take it. This __**pain**_._ It was just a child! Just. A. Child! _"_No," the word came out before he had thought it._

"_Excuse me?"_

"_I - said...no."_

"_You coward! You __**will**__ do this as we agreed, or do you not want the information about Koorime island?"_

"_I will not do your bidding for those worthless creatures. What was I thinking?" The last part was whispered to himself._

"_You were thinking about killing them. That's what you want isn't it? You want them dead. Just like my sister."_

_Hiei snarled and charged at him with his sword ready. Keno dodged and slapped his shoulder. Hiei jumped back and felt a painful sting in his shoulder. "What did you do?" He said calmly, unbridled rage hidden in his tone._

"_Just some insurance. I know what you are Forbidden One. I know you have evil inside you." __He pulled out a syringe and smirked wickedly. "It's called Sepi. It draws out evil power within your heart and turns you into a savage beast. You will kill them whether you want to or not."_

_Hie vision was blurring and he could feel it, this-rage building inside him. He mustered all the control he had left and charged him again. Just as his vision went he heard a thud._

_He woke drowsily groaning at his headache. That stench. It was...everywhere. His eyes popped open and what he saw was horrifying to say the least. The way their bodies were laying - the way the blood had splashed - their guts on the walls...__**He**__ had done this. He looked at his katana and saw it covered in blood. There was even a remnant of an entrail on it. His clothes were drenched and he could feel wetness on his hair as well. He grunted and stumbled up. He really did this. Yes, it was the drug but it was interacting __with the darkness inside him, which meant for all intents and purposes, __**he**__ did it._

_What did it matter? He had already killed that child. The way he saw it as soon as he did that he was in too deep. He ran out as fast as he could heading for the nearest water source. It would be weeks before that smell washed out._

"If it isn't Hiei Jaganshi. I've been waiting." Wait _this_ was Ikio Fuugiya? He couldn't have been no more than sixteen.

"Where is she?" He sneered.

"Oh, around. You'll never find her. Even if you searched for days. Of course by then she will have starved to death."

He unsheathed his sword and got in a stance to kill him. The boy remained still and did nothing. Hiei disappeared and reappeared with his sword at his neck.

But it didn't go through. It happened so fast he couldn't believe it.

He - had caught the blade with his hand. His eyes were closed and for a few seconds they remained like that. He opened his eyes and Hiei inwardly gasped. Ikio's eyes were pure red. No iris and no pupil.

"DIE!" He screamed as energy leaped from his hand to Hiei's chest. He dodged and slid across the floor. Before he could blink Ikio was on him with a kick to the head. Hiei retaliated with a few kicks of his own to Ikio's sternum. Ikio barred his claws and started slashing at Hiei with incredible speed. Is this what Leis meant by him losing control? He had a hard time dodging and managed to get a few punches in. A slash across the chest mad him angrier.

Fuck punching and kicking. The kid wants power? He'll show him power!

He summoned his flame and shot multiple rounds at him filling the room. The room was made of marble so nothing caught fire.

One round managed to get Ikio's leg and he screamed in pain as the fire burned through his pant leg scorching his skin.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Ikio exploded with energy and rushed him with blinding speed. He was slashing and kicking and punching like a crazed person. His power was respectable enough but not stronger than his black dragon. Hiei set his body ablaze and exploded his own energy knocking Ikio back.

"I'll show you what happens to people who fuck with me." He tore off his bandages and black flames surrounded his arm.

* * *

Botan gasped. He was definitely here and he was planning to use the dragon. But against who? Ikio?

Was it okay to kill him? Botan scowled and paced the room. Damn it all, she just had to get out of here!

That's when Botan got a horrified slash dumbfounded look on her face.

"Oh. My. Gods." She said slowly. "MY SPIRIT FORM!" How could she had been so _stupid_?!

In that form she could faze into anything. "Ugh! I really am a stupid ferry woman."

She brought her hands together as if to pray and white energy surrounded her. Her body fazed and changed into her kimono usual self. She sighed and shook off the funny feeling she got when she did that and ran to the door. She pushed her and through and smiled in victory.

Soon she was through the whole door and when she was through she almost fainted. Her body shook and she transformed back into her jeans coat and t-shirt. "Wha...? He must of put a talisman on that door."

She didn't care. She got up and ran towards the energy as fast as he could.

* * *

"I'm going to feed you to Hell."

Ikio laughed insanely.

The marble was cracking and the house was shaking. "Right with your brother."

_Before he left the house he had to make sure that __**everyone**__ was dead. He ran into the room to find Keno beheaded as well as all his limbs cut off. He smirked. At least that drug had __**one**__ good effect..._

The flames were reaching their crescendo and Hiei got ready. He backed up to shoot it -

"Hiei!" He gasped and looked over to see-her standing there panting. "Hiei, don't!"

Damn it! He couldn't do it now with her there! The backlash alone could kill her!

He cringed and shot the dragon upwards through the ceiling, plaster falling everywhere. It hit multiple rooms and crashed out and back down.

Botan was screaming as the dragon came back down, Hiei absorbing it.

Deafening silence filled the room as they all looked at each other.

"How did you get out?" Ikio sked calmy. Hiei noticed his eyes were blue again.

"I...am a ferry girl, silly. I fazed through it."

Ikio gasped and shook his head with a dry laugh. "Wow. I'm really dumb."

"Yes, you are," Hiei seethed.

Botan gasped and ran to Hiei. "Hiei, don't. It's not worth it."

"After he kidnapped you?! Are you - ?!"

"Haven't you caused him enough pain already?!" Silence. Ikio just stood there. Was she...defending him? Why?

"I..." Hiei looked down away from her pink eyes.

"Please let's just leave. More blood doesn't need to be spilt."

"Oh, yes it does." Ikio's tone was dark again as his energy rose. "You're not going anywhere." He looked at Botan. "You may live but he - _dies_!"

That was it. If he was still planning to kill him he had no choice but to defend himself. With telekinesis he brought his sword to him grasping it tight.

Ikio's movement wasn't as fluid as before and he figured it was because his rage wasn't as strong as before.

Hiei growled and disappeared sword in hand, heading for the boy's stomach.

"No!"

_Swack_

Ikio's eyes returned to normal and he gasped. "Oh - my GOD!" He screeched.

The blood was pouring out. But it wasn't out of his stomach. It was coming out of the blue haired woman's.

~TBC


	14. Change of heart

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

* * *

Why Not

Chapter Fourteen: Change of heart

X -x-x-x-x- X

It wasn't possible. It just wasn't possible. There was no way she was that fast. There was no way she could have jumped in front of his blade. No way.

But it was.

One minute he was charging at the boy and the next - _she_ was in front of him.

His rage had blocked his sight for those few seconds, and before he realized it his blade had run into her. Straight into her stomach and out her back. His eyes widened in shock and horror and he gasped. "B-Botan..." His voice was a whisper.

"Don't," she choked. "Don't...kill him. It won't change anything." Hiei could only stand there breathing hard. She smiled weakly and grabbed the hilt of his sword. She tugged on it and both of them knew what had to be done.

He gripped it tight and pulled it out slowly making her gasp and cry in pain. When it was out she grabbed his shoulders in order not to fall. He dropped the sword and held her up by her arms.

"Hiei - I..." She gasped. Her eyes went murky and they rolled back as her body fell limp.

It was at that moment Hiei found his voice. "Botan! No, stay awake! Wake up! BOTAN!"

Ikio gasped at what he saw. Hiei was yelling and cursing as he lowered her to the ground.

He looked at Ikio and his eyes were full of panic. "You! Go get some help!"

"What?"

"Help her, damn it!"

Ikio's eyes widened. This - _this_ is what he wanted. To make him suffer. To see him in pain. He wanted to enjoy this. He _should _enjoy this. But no matter how hard he tried he-couldn't. This woman was kind and gentle and had done nothing to him. In fact she sacrificed herself to save him.

He just stood there with a dumbfounded look on his face. Like a deer in headlights.

"Did you not hear me?! HELP HER!"

"I-I...Oh - OKAY!" He ran out of the room like a panicked child shouting for help.

Hiei turned back to the ferry girl in his arms. "_Why_ did you _do_ that?" He whispered to her. "Why?"

* * *

"Is this it?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes, this is where I sensed Hiei's energy. He definitely shot the dragon," Kurama said.

Yusuke was having trouble walking so Kurama was helping him up. Kuwabara had a sprained ankle but he said Urameshi needed the help more so he limped along.

They looked at the huge mansion and Kuwabara had a feeling something was wrong. "Hey guys? I think we should hurry up."

* * *

"I can't find anybody! Did you kill them all?!" Ikio shouted.

Hiei's face fell. Well, not _all_ of them. Surely there was someone here who could heal her. "You liar! You want her to die!"

Ikio just stared.

Hiei roared in rage and left Botan on the floor. He charged the boy with his bare claws, black energy of the dragon surrounding him.

Ikio just stood there. He felt no anger. Where was it? Where was the darkness he relied upon?

Hiei grabbed his collar and raised his claws to remove his face when -

A strange sound came into the room. It was like electricity sparking. Hiei looked around and in the far corner a black void was forming.

"What the hell?"

The void pulsated and red energy exploded out of it. A form stepped out and Ikio instantly know who it was.

"REN!"

She looked up and gasped. What luck to arrive here! Her happiness was squashed at what she saw. It was _him_ with Ikio's collar in his hand. His other hand was raised at his face and his energy was erratic. Her eyes burned and she stood up. "LET HIM GO!" She screamed. She ran to him with her fists glowing red.

Hiei's eyes widened and he dropped the boy. He was ready to fight her when he felt it. "Oh, God. Not now." His eyesight got blurry and his knees began to knock.

She got close to the weakening jaganshi and gasped when she got in front of him. "What are you doing?!"

Ikio was standing in front of Hiei with his hands out. "Stop! She needs your help!" He pointed to Botan and Ren looked shocked.

"Ikio?"

"Help her! Please Ren? Please?" She hadn't heard that in years.

She blinked and smiled. "Alright." She went to Botan and looked over her injury.

It wasn't that bad. She herself had seen worse. She smirked. Just what had happened when she was gone?

Her hands glowed a gentle red instead of the murderous color from before. She brought it up to her stomach and the energy pulsed as it entered the ferry girl's body healing her.

"Why?" Hiei asked.

"Because she saved me."

"I see. You're even."

"No, Hiei. I will _never_ be even." He turned and looked at him. His eyes were not dark and evil but somber and sad. "I will never forgive you." He turned back around and watched Ren heal this woman.

"I know."

* * *

"How many fucking halls do you need?!" Yusuke gasped as he ran, which was getting increasingly painful.

"And they're all tacky!" Kuwabara joined.

Kurama sniffed and gasped. Blood. Female blood mixed with Botan's scent. "This way!" His tone was panicked and Yusuke gasped as Kurama yanked him along, no longer supporting him.

"I'm gonna split!" He whined as Kuwabara groaned and panted behind him. They reached the main hall and they all gasped. Hiei was kneeling at Botan's side as-Ren? - healed her. "Didn't we kill you?!" Yusuke shouted in shock.

"No, you sent me to another dimension." Her energy pulsated and died. "I'm done. She'll be alright now." Her eyes locked with Hiei's. This was the one who did it. This was the man who killed Ikio's family. And yet, Ikio protected him. Why? Why after all this time, after hearing him so many nights pledge Hiei's death, would he just give up and let him live? Was it this woman?

"Tha - "

"Finish that and I'll gut you. I only did it for Ikio. _You_ are scum."

Hiei nodded as she rose and walked back to her master/son.

"Uh, what's going on?" Yusuke asked clearly confused.

Ikio looked at the famous group and snickered. "You really did a number on them, huh, Ren?"

Ren shrugged and looked at her tattered and torn clothing. "No more than they did me."

"_Hello_? Someone wanna tell us what the hell is going on?"

"The woman was injured and I healed her," Ren said with no emotion.

"But aren't you the bad guys?"

"No," Hiei said as he rose holding Botan bridal style. "They have every right to hate me. But I do ask that you not attack my fiends anymore. If you want me then you have me." He said turning to Ren and Ikio.

"Friends?" Yusuke asked.

"Shut up."

Ikio and Hiei just stared at each other for a while. "No. I won't hurt anybody anymore. I thought hurting you would take away the pain, but it won't. It just brings more. No. I won't be like you." He turned and began to walk out, a little bit of plaster falling behind him. "Get out and don't ever come back." He walked out with Ren behind him.

When they were gone, all exchanged looks.

"Again. What the hell just happened?"

* * *

"What the hell just happened?" Ren asked in a hushed tone.

"That woman saved me. She jumped in front of his blade to save me. Someone who threatened her and promised her friend's death. It was in that moment that I knew. I knew killing wasn't going to change anything. If he killed me it wouldn't take away what he had done, and if I killed him it wouldn't bring my family back. Sure I wanted him to suffer and he did. But...an innocent shouldn't die because of me...I - God what was I thinking?"

"Oh, Ikio." She grabbed him from behind and hugged him tightly. "I am so proud of you."

"Thanks...Mom..."

* * *

Pink eyes opened and blinked furiously. "Mmm..." She moaned.

She felt something move beside her and she turned to focus on it.

She gasped lightly as she stared into his crimson orbs.

"Hiei..." She whispered.

"How do you feel?"

She took in a breath and sat up. "Pretty good!" She chirped. "What happened?"

His eyes lowered. "I - hurt you..."

"Hiei..."

"I hurt you, Botan. Not just physically, but emotionally. I - I'm sorry..."

Her eyes became saucers. Not only did he just say her name, but he was apologizing. "Oh, Hiei. I forgive you."

He looked back up at her and her eyes were shining.

"You - _forgive_ me?"

"Of course I do. The fact that you came to rescue me proves you care. I just don't know why you would..."

"Botan. It - It's hard to explain." She looked at him begging for the truth. "I wish I could tell you it wasn't me. It was. Keno Fuugiya betrayed the family and hired us all to do the job. He hired me only to kill the family. He was the one who left the window unlocked to his sister's room." He stopped with a deep loathing in his eyes.

"Go on."

"I killed her in her sleep. I slit her throat. Immediately I felt sick. I went to see Keno and we - had an argument. I told him I wouldn't do his bidding. Hard to believe killing a simple child would have that effect on me, huh? He - said some things to make me angry and I charged him to kill him. He injected me with a drug called Sepi which draws out the darkness in one's soul. I blacked out. When I woke up I found them all mutilated. The good news is Keno got his as well. Even though it was a drug and I blacked out it was still me. It drew out the blackness and hate within my heart, so for all intents and purposes it _was_ me. The _real_ me..."

"Hiei...It wasn't." He looked confused. And she smiled. "I've heard of Sepi and Reikai has files on it. It doesn't draw out evil from your soul. No drug can affect your soul. Sepi instead makes you do insane barbaric things. It takes chemicals in your brain and turns you into a monster. It has nothing to do with evil. Sepi would do the same thing even to me." Her voice was reassuring and Hiei said nothing.

All these years he thought it was him. But if Sepi was merely a mind altering drug then...

"It doesn't matter. I still killed the girl of my own free will."

"Then can you make up for that." She squeezed his hand and smiled.

He smirked and sighed. "Why are you always so optimistic?"

"Hmm? I just am. It's better than being moody!" She said with a laugh.

"Why did I make them save you?" He said with a chuckle.

"Oh? Well, then Hieim you can just leave!" She said with fake anger crossing her arms and looking away.

"I'm not going anywhere." She looked at him and blushed. "I will never leave you again." He lifted his hand and brushed back a strand of her hair from her face.

Her arms uncrossed and she blushed harder as his hand traced her face. She brought her hand up to his and held it tightly.

That's when he leaned in.

~TBC


	15. Happiness

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

* * *

Why Not

Chapter Fifteen: Happiness

X -x-x-x-x- X

Crimson eyes opened as the wind whipped through her teal green hair. She sighed and breathed in the fresh air. It was a lovely day and she couldn't help but smile a little.

Everyone had told her about Botan going to find Hiei.

Hiei...

The more she thought about it the more she began to wonder why Botan would go find him. Why would Botan care that Hiei was gone? Maybe she had feelings for him and didn't tell anyone.

Or maybe there was another reason...

Her thoughts were interrupted by a rustle of the trees.

"Hmm?" She looked over and saw the person in question; Hiei. "Mr. Hiei. Hello. How are you doing?" Polite as always.

"Yukina." There was a moment of silence before he started walking toward her. "Yukina, I - I have to talk to you." He was about four feet away from her.

She rose her hand in front of her. "Wait. I have something to say first."

"Alright."

"I told Botan that you told me my brother was dead. After that she and everyone else, except Kazuma, started treating me differently. Yes, I should think it was sympathy but there was also an undertone of anger. Then Botan disappeared to go look for you. Then everyone else went to look for you. I know they are your friends but you leave all the time. I just couldn't understand why Botan would look for you, and why everyone else would be so adamant to find you as well. Botan had been so upset after I told her. Then she goes looking for you.

"You. Hiei, you are the one part of this equation that I never realized. I have always had this fantasy of my brother and what he would be like. The fantasy wasn't looks or personality, but I imagined he would be just as happy to find me as I was him. If it turned out that he didn't want me the fantasy would die. So I ignored the signs. I ignored all of them. Somehow...I always knew...it was you...Hiei. I always knew. But you wouldn't tell me so I thought you couldn't be my brother because my brother would want me, and would want me to know him. I know better now. You don't want me and I accept that. Really, I do. Just knowing that you are my brother should be enough for me. I need to grow up."

She looked at him and his face was filled with shock. "Yukina..."

"It's okay. You don't need to explain. I understand."

"No you don't..." He looked down away from her and took in a breath. "Yukina...I never told you because of my life. Botan was kidnapped. She was kidnapped by one of my enemies who wanted revenge. I...killed his entire family and he wanted to kill everyone I cared about. I believe he would have gone after you as well. This is why I never told you. Not only to protect you but...I didn't want you to find out what a horrible person I've been. All the horrible things I've done...They would taint you and I couldn't stand that. Like you said you had a fantasy, and as much as you may not admit it, you did have one about what your brother would be like. And I know it's not me. I know you didn't imagine a monster killing innocent people. I am not the brother you wanted and I'm sorry for that. I know I hurt you though when I told you your brother was dead and...I'm...sorry for that as well..." His eyes were still down and he turned away from her. He began to walk feeling she was rejecting him when she -

"Wait! Brother, don't leave!"

He stopped and flinched._ 'Brother?'_

"You've got it all wrong! I thought _you_ didn't want _me_! I _do_ want you as my brother! I don't care about your past! I just want to be with you!"

"You mean your brother that you've thought about."

"No! _You_! I want _you_!" She ran to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulder from the back. "Please don't leave me again, Hiei. Please..." She weeped quietly into his neck, the tears running down and making gems on the ground.

Hiei stiffened and blinked back his own gems. "Yukina...if you _want_ me to stay I will...I'll stay..."

She turned him around and sniffed. "R-really? You won't ever leave me?"

"No."

"Oh, Hiei!" She grasped him in a tight hug which Hiei slowly returned.

Light blue gems littered the grass along with a few black ones.

* * *

"Come on, Kazuma. You know they made up."

"Yeah, but I'm still a little miffed at the punk."

Shizuru lit up her cigarette and inhaled. "Go see for yourself."

Kuwabara walked in to the temple and saw Yukina and Hiei drinking tea and talking. Hiei drinking tea politely was enough to make anyone laugh but Kuwabara just watched Yukina. She was - happy. Happier than he had ever seen her. He smiled and sighed.

"Nice to see, isn't it?"

"Gah! Kurama! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

Kurama giggled and brushed his hair back. "Sorry. Where's Botan?"

"Here I am!" She sang as she ran up the stairs. "Hi guys! Yukina with Hiei inside?"

"Yeah, they're having tea," Kuwabara said with a laugh.

"Oh, okay then!" She ran inside and Kurama sighed. He had always had an affection for the ferry girl. But now he understood there was something more important going on. His best friend's happiness. He had never seen Hiei so truly _happy_ before. He would step aside and let them have it. It was more important than his silly crush.

That being said he still warned Hiei.

It was last week at a party and Botan spilled the beans about her hand Hiei being a couple. Blushing madly, she received congratulations from the girls, while Hiei endured teasing from Yusuke and Kuwabara.

Kurama later took Hiei to the side and told him; _"If you hurt her in any way you will have to answer to me."_

Hiei chuckled and nodded. After that his eyes became serious. _"Don't hug her anymore."_

Kurama chuckled and sighed again. That's when he heard a familiar voice headed up the stairs.

He heard her shout and ran to the stairs. She had fallen up them. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm just so clumsy!"

"Here let me help you up." He held out his hand and emerald green locked with teal.

"Thanks, Kurama."

"No problem, Hinageshi."

* * *

"So, how do you like it?"

"It's...interesting..." He said eating the red pasta. "What's it called?"

"Spaghetti! I'll make more if you like it! Do you?" The last had a self conscious tone.

"...Yes."

"Great!" She smiled wide which made him smirk in response.

"So what do you think? Do you like the temple better or my apartment?"

He looked around at the white walls and simple furniture. The television was in an entertainment center that was white with vases and certain nick-knacks stacked in the shelves.

"The temple is crowded. I like it here better." His voice had no emotion and he continued to eat his dinner.

"Good."

That night they decided to watch a movie. Some romance drama thing, it really didn't matter because they weren't really watching it.

They had lost themselves in each other's mouths.

Somehow it had moved to the bedroom and Hiei found his shirt coming off.

He nibbled at her neck while removing the buttons of her shirt. She moaned and ran her finger through his hair.

He went back to her mouth while opening her shirt. Their tongues clashed as his hands ran over her stomach up to her breasts still covered by a bra. He wanted it off.

He pulled away and they panted to catch their breath. "Hiei?"

"Are you sure?"

She sat up and pulled off her shirt. Then she reached behind her and undid her bra.

"Does it look like I'm not?"

He smirked and pushed her down on the bed again. He kissed a tender spot on her shoulder while running his hands over her breasts making her moan.

Soon all of their clothes were off letting them feel each other fully.

He kissed her shoulder and nibbled at it again. She tilted her neck letting him know it was okay.

He opened his mouth and bit into her flesh making her cry out. When he was done he licked the spot and kissed it making the bleeding stop.

He looked at her and their eyes locked. "I love you," she breathed and Hiei's eyes widened. He blinked in surprise and she giggled. "Do I need to repeat that?"

He kissed her and spoke on her lips. "Please..."

"I love you, Hiei."

He kissed her hard and Botan swore his breath was choked.

* * *

Botan awoke the next morning to find his arms cuddled around her. She smiled and ran her fingers over his chest. He stirred and opened his eyes, which she noticed weren't dark blood red anymore, but a sparkling garnet.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"Hn. Morning." Same tone as always.

She sighed and cuddled into his chest. "It's gonna be sunny today."

"Mmm hmm..." He hummed with his hands in her hair.

"Wanna go to the park?"

"Why?"

"Well...I thought we could have a picnic." She stiffened waiting for him to laugh.

He paused for a while and then took in a breath. "Why not?"

~End

* * *

**A/N: I want to thank all my original reviewers and anybody new who has read, reviewed, faved or otherwise. I have re-edited this and after reading it...well, it has good points but could have been better. And yet it still seems to be my most popular, lol. Thanks so much! This was my first chapter fic here ^^**


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